Georgians grow all types of fruits in their yards, gardens and
even in pots. Fruit experts with
the University of Georgia say blueberries, blackberries,
strawberries and figs flourish in most
of the state.

Fruit plants require a little more care in some areas than
others. But with some planning and
work, you can enjoy tasty fruits from your own garden.

"For backyard fruits, the two most important things to do in
early fall are ordering nursery
stock and preparing the soil," said Gerard Krewer, an extension
horticulturist with the UGA
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Most small fruits get their best start if you plant them in
December through February. Many
nurseries take orders for plants in mid-September. Ordering
early helps you make sure you'll
get plants.

You're more likely to get the best plants, too, Krewer said. And
you can be assured of getting
the variety you want.

There are truly dozens of varieties of every fruit. But not all
will grow well in your area. So
choose carefully, said Scott NeSmith, a CAES research
horticulturist in Griffin.

"Research has identified at least five or six really good
variety choices for every area of the
state," he said. NeSmith checks varieties for fruit size,
abundance, harvest window and other
growth characteristics.

Backyard gardeners benefit from commercial fruit research,
too.

"Many procedures and varieties we develop for commercial
production are well-suited for
backyard growers, too," NeSmith said.

Planting during winter assures that the young plants are
dormant, Krewer said. Planting
actively growing trees and plants decreases the chances the
plants will survive.

"There is more of an advantage to planting during early winter
in south Georgia than in north
Georgia," he said. "But there is still a definite advantage to
planting in winter, instead of later
in the spring, all over the state."

As plants emerge from dormancy in early spring, their leaves and
shoots grow quickly. Winter
planting helps the plants establish a strong root system. That
helps the young plants survive
during those first few critical months.

Krewer said right after you order your stock, start preparing
the soil for planting.

Test your soil to find out the pH level. Your county extension
office can send your soil sample
to the UGA Plant Services Lab. The lab will test your soil and
make lime and nutrient
recommendations specific to the plants you want to put in that
soil.

Testing allows time for lime to increase the pH level, Krewer
said. Mix lime with the soil in
the planting hole.

Most fruit plants like slightly acid soils -- those with a pH
around 6.0 to 6.5. Blueberries are
the exception, he said. "They prefer very acid soils with a pH
around 4 to 5.3, so don't lime
soil for blueberries."

Then break up the soil in the planting hole. Krewer said new
fruit plants need a hole at least 2
feet deep and 2 feet across. "Be sure to break up any clay or
hard pans that could slow or stop
root growth," he said.

In the years to come, all this hard work will be worth it. Just
keep thinking about how good all
that fruit from your backyard will taste.